The present application generally relates to spring sockets, and more particularly, to a multi-piece canted coil spring socket.
With canted coil spring connectors or sockets that use a one-piece housing, the canted coil spring must be inserted into a groove in the housing through an open end of the socket. The inside opening diameter of the socket must be made larger than preferred in order to facilitate insertion of the spring. This results in greater exposure of the spring and possible damage to the spring when the male pin of the latching, locking, holding or electrical contact assembly is inserted into the socket.
When cladding or plating canted coil spring connectors or sockets that use a one-piece housing, the process generally requires adding or building up of the surfaces of the groove with cladding or plating metals in order to get sufficient build-up of the cladding layer on the inside surfaces of the groove. For example, in many smaller sized socket assemblies for electrical contact applications, three times as much silver plating may be necessary on the outside non-critical surfaces of the socket in order to achieve the desired plating thickness on the inside of the socket. This issue is not limited to silver plating but common to typical electro-plating processes.